THE NHS is hiring diversity staff at a rate of one a week despite orders to cutback on the initiatives.

At least 35 equality, diversity and inclusion opportunities have been posted since ­Labour took power.

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Salaries reach up to £90,000 and most offer working from home, analysis of job ads showed.

It came as NHS finance chief Julian Kelly told MPs the £10billion cash boost for the health service would be mostly swallowed up by pay rises and tax rises.

Tory health secretaries tried for years to curb spending on diversity initiatives.

MP Steve Barclay said: “NHS EDI roles don’t represent value for money.

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“They divert resources and are more interested in pushing politicised ideology.”

The health service said: “The number of equality, diversity and inclusion roles has been reduced.”

And in the Commons Health Committee yesterday, Mr Kelly said the new NHS funding would be wiped out by 2.8 per cent wage bumps, £1.6billion for National Insurance rises and the higher costs of drugs.

Tory MP Joe Robertson said: “The so-called ‘extra money’ will just vanish into union pay deals.”

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NHS bosses were given a dressing down yesterday for waffling in their responses about plans to improve the service.

Committee chair Layla Moran said: “We were exasperated by lengthy answers.”